I am interested in discussing the part of Moon and the Mars during 1859 when Theo finds out that Ciaran and other members of her Irish family are working for businesses that fund and support slavery. Ciaran said he had been working for the Spanish company, but it was actually the Portuguese company\u2014 and he had known and kept it secret that their business was in slavery. Cathleen and Aileen had been sewing clothes that would be worn by slaves, but quit their jobs once they discovered the purpose of the business. Theo spends some time away from her Irish family, but eventually goes back to them after learning of their regret and remorse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This made me think of that buzz-phrase you hear all over the internet lately: \u201cthere is no ethical consumption under capitalism.\u201d No matter what you choose to consume, you are still living in an exploitative system that relies on paying workers less than the value of their labor in order to make a profit. I have also heard a similar rhetoric applied when it comes to jobs, as students discuss their potential career paths and how to discern what type of work to do. You can \u201csell out\u201d your morals and make more money, or you can choose a more \u201cethical\u201d job that will likely pay less but contribute more positively to your community. There are many discussions about whether it is each individual\u2019s responsibility to choose not to work for an immoral company, or if the agency lies on those in charge of the company\u2019s intentions and policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To bring it back to the novel, Cathleen and Aileen face the struggle of living in poverty, and the higher paying jobs are ones that actively support the illegal slave trade. For them, the choice is clear as soon as they realize what type of work they are doing, and they quit. But Ciaran knows for much longer, and continues to do the job because of the money. He only quits because he is forced to by the rest of his family, although he does show signs of shame over his decision. I am curious what the decision of Cathleen and Aileen would be if they didn\u2019t have Theo in their family, and if she didn\u2019t stop seeing them because of it. Would their morals have led them to quit, or would they continue the job because they need the money?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am interested in discussing the part of Moon and the Mars during 1859 when Theo finds out that Ciaran and other members of her Irish family are working for businesses that fund and support slavery. Ciaran said he had been working for the Spanish company, but it was actually the Portuguese company\u2014 and he … <\/p>\n